A man has been arrested for stripping and indecently exposing himself during a long-haul flight – while making death threats – an unusual combination of antisocial behaviour that could land him in prison for 20 years.

The man, a Briton who is resident in Mexico, allegedly behaved so badly on a Condor airline flight from Cancun, Mexico, to Frankfurt, Germany that the plane was forced to divert and make an unscheduled landing to offload him.

Britain’s Daily Mirror named the suspect as Oliver Charles Halliday Gee, aged 34. US reports said he lived in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico.

Unfortunately for Gee, the plane diverted not to Mexico but to the continental USA, namely to Jacksonville, Florida. He was arrested by the FBI for in-flight misbehaviour allegedly including stripping naked, displaying his genitals, assault or intimidation of a flight crew and making death threats. He is also said to have intimidated a three-year-old child, according to US reports.

Air offences are often punishable by jail terms in the US and Gee could face a maximum of 20 years.

Gee is alleged to have warned cabin crew and passengers that he knew Mexican hit men who would kill for him.

Such behaviour is not unknown on the ground – but at least police can reach offenders quickly. Just last week, police at Kingscliff in northern New South Wales used capsicum spray to restrain an allegedly aggressive man who had been hit by several vehicles while running through traffic naked.